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Former Liverpool midfielder Didi Hamann has dismissed Barcelona's chances of winning the Champions League this season — suggesting that only one team in UEFA's top competition can challenge the Reds.
Arne Slot's side will take on Atletico Madrid at Anfield next midweek as the competition gets underway again. But Hamann believes that only PSG is capable of stopping Liverpool from adding a seventh European Cup to its collection.
"Barcelona and Bayern Munich had a chance to win the Champions League last season without beating an English team, which has only happened twice in the last 20 years," Hamann told Coin Poker.
"This year, Bayern Munich got two English teams in the group stages. In the knockout stages, a team will likely have to beat two English teams.
"You've got Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Spurs and Newcastle. Can Barcelona beat two of them over two legs?
"I don't think so. They might beat one, but I doubt it. They won't beat two.
"Barcelona are a good team, but I don't buy all the hype. I'd put PSG and Liverpool first, then there's a bit of a gap.
"After that, I'd probably group Real Madrid, Barcelona, Chelsea, and Arsenal. Maybe Bayern Munich, but I'm not even sure they have a chance to win it this year."
In addition to facing Atletico Madrid, Liverpool will also take on Galatasaray (Turkey), Eintracht Frankfurt (Germany), PSV (Netherlands), Inter Milan (Italy), Marseille (France) and Qarabag (Azerbaijan).
Those eight fixtures will be completed between now and the end of January before the knockout phase begins, with the top eight in the Swiss-style group avoiding the need for a play-off round.
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Liverpool.com says: In Europe is where Liverpool has to improve this season. Slot was unfortunate to come up against PSG in the first knockout round last year, and with a bit more good fortune, he would have gone much further.
In part, whoever wins the Champions League has to get some luck along the way. Liverpool and PSG are the leading contenders as things stand, but the others should be far from discounted.
Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Inter would all be tough to beat over two legs. But having already won the Premier League, Slot should have eyes on the other major trophy that he will hope to bring to Anfield.
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